


Happy At Home

by Morpheus626



Category: The Pacific (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:13:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25053694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morpheus626/pseuds/Morpheus626
Summary: Sledge and Snafu (in my AU started way back in End of the Line) finally move house, and decide to move back to Mobile no less. It's something that shouldn't seem like an adventure, but of course, it is, because moving house and states...I don't think that's actually easy for anyone, and it certainly isn't for these boys.
Relationships: Merriell "Snafu" Shelton/Eugene Sledge
Kudos: 5





	1. Part One

The apartment was starting to show its age. 

Granted, it was old when they started to rent it, but now…

Eugene pondered if an apartment could be called elderly as Snafu thunked the handset of the phone down with a clatter. 

“Fuckin’ landlord. Fuckin’ bullshit. We got no heat, and that ass goes on about how we should be able to tough it out,” Snafu shouted. 

“Snaf-” 

“I toughed it out! That fucker-he didn’t even ship out! We finished the damn mess for him, now he inherits this fuckin’ piece of shit building from his father or grandfather or who the fuck knows, and he thinks he can talk to me-”

“Merriell!” Eugene shouted, only so Snafu would snap back and really hear him. 

“For what we pay for this shithole…” Snafu grumbled, then stomped back to join him on the couch. “Sorry.” 

“You don’t have to be sorry for anything. I get it-but you’re gonna destroy your voice yellin’ like that. And the cold won’t help it if your throat is sore,” Eugene said as he tossed one of their many accumulated blankets over Snafu. 

Snafu pulled the blanket so most of his face was covered, only his eyes free. “I know. He’s still a fuckin’ asshole.” 

Eugene bit his tongue not to giggle at Snafu’s voice, muffled by the blanket. “He is. But we’ll make do. We always have, always will.” 

Snafu brought the blanket off his face and frowned. “We been livin’ here for over two years. The heating coulda been fuckin’ fixed by now.” 

Eugene sighed and pulled Snafu close. He was right-they’d been asking and now begging damn near every winter they’d been there for it to be fixed. 

“If I could find us a house-” 

“People might talk,” Eugene started. They’d had this discussion a lot, as of late. 

“I don’t give a shit. Tell ‘em we both had girlfriends before the war, but when we came back they were gone, so we stuck together,” Snafu spat. “So now we have each other, and if that bothers anyone, I’ll go find one of the grenades we used to carry and jam it so far up their-”

“Okay, okay. I think I get the picture you’re painting. And it is a hell of a picture,” Eugene replied. “But let’s say we find this house. How the hell are we paying for it?” 

Snafu shrugged and snuggled closer to him. “We’d figure it out.” 

“Someday, maybe. Least we got a roof over our heads now.” 

The phone rang, shrill and overly loud in the quiet apartment. The cats jumped, all lumped together in a basket with a blanket over them as Eugene stood to answer it, a blanket still wrapped around his shoulders. 

“Eugene?” Sid sounded tired.

“Hey, how are you?” Eugene asked. It had been a good few months since they’d talked, longer since Sid had visited. He missed him-plus, it was one of the only ways he could get updates on how his family was. 

“Your father-” Sid sighed, but it edged on a growl. “Is a wonderfully kind man, except for right now when he’s being a damn stubborn ass who won’t just do this himself. I, as middleman, am supposed to ask you if you and Snafu won’t come down and do your parents a favor of sorts.” 

“They know Snaf would be coming with me, no matter what this ‘favor’ is, right?” 

“I already told them. They still keep callin’ him your ‘roommate’. Not sure if they haven’t figured it out yet, or if it’s straight up denial. But either way, they said this applies to the both of you,” Sid replied. “Now, your parents decided to build a new house-” 

“What? Where, and why?” Eugene laughed. “What bullshit is that, anyway? This country can’t even house all of us that came back, and they went and built something new?” 

“Eugene-” 

“Look, Sid. We’re sittin’ here in a damn tiny place that hasn’t had proper heat in the winter, or ventilation in the summer since we moved in. We pay out the ass for it, no matter how many extra hours we both pick up at work. We’d love a goddamn house, even if it was barely warmer than this place. So hearin’ this-” Eugene choked on his words. “Just-what the hell do they want with us?” 

“They don’t want to sell the old place. They consider like piece of the family history, or whatever. Your brother said no to staying there-he’s got his own place, his own things goin’ on, as you already know.” 

He did. His brother called a bit more than Sid, but the calls were always on edge. Still filled with ‘I love you’s and ‘hope you’re well’s, but there were questions unasked in between them. 

“Okay, so? They have two houses instead of just one, pity them,” Eugene sighed. He loved Sid, but tonight wasn’t the night to listen to how well other people were doing while they struggled. He just wanted to sit back down and warm up next to Snafu, who was watching him with an increasingly confused look on his face. 

“The cold made you dense or somethin’? What the fuck do you think I’m about to ask you?” Sid laughed. “You get the house, so long as you two are willing to move back down here.” 

“I’m sorry?” 

“You. And. Snafu. Get. The. House,” Sid replied. “They’re tryin’ to do a nice turn for you, while also making themselves happy by keepin’ the house. Furnished, ready to go for you, all you have to do is come back.” 

“Forgive me, Sid. But there’s no way it’s that easy. They’ve got to have some motive-” Eugene started, but Sid cut him off with a heavy sigh. 

“As far as I know, they don’t have any motive other than greedily wanting two houses.” 

Eugene moved the handset from his head, and turned to Snafu. “So, you were talkin’ about that house.” 

Snafu pushed his blankets off and walked over to him. “What the hell is goin’ on?” 

“We got a house waitin’ for us in Mobile-my parents’ old house. Apparently, all we have to do is show up, and the place is ours,” Eugene said. “It feels…too easy.” 

Snafu nodded. “Maybe. Or maybe…” 

“What?” 

“You miss them. I know you do, don’t try to lie to me. And I bet they miss you. And I’d bet they’re just as stubborn as you-” Snafu continued. 

“I am not that stubborn,” Eugene protested. 

“Yes, you are,” Snafu and Sid spoke at once, Sid’s voice tinny from the handset. 

Eugene sighed, and shot Snafu a look. 

“Anyway, I’d gather they needed some way to show they care for you, without meetin’ up with us and everyone bein’ all emotional and messy. A nice place to live where they know you’re safe might be that way,” Snafu said. 

“We’d have to pack fast,” Eugene protested. There was something in the pit of his stomach that made him too nervous to just say yes to the prospect of going back. Even if Snafu and the cats would be with him. 

“I can manage that,” Snafu said as he gently pulled the handset from Eugene’s hand. “Hey, Sid? Tell ‘em we’re comin’ down. The cats, and whatever junk we want to keep that we can fit in the car.” 

Snafu listened for a moment, then nodded. “And we’ll meet you to get the key. Sounds good. Yeah, I’ll wrangle him into a better mood by the time we get there, don’t you worry. Be seein’ you, Sid.” 

Snafu hung up the handset, and wrapped his arms around Eugene. “C’mon. Smile, at least a little. We’re gettin’ out of this frozen tundra-” 

“It could be colder, if we’d ended up further North,” Eugene said as he let his head fall onto Snafu’s shoulder. 

“You get to show me around Mobile, we’ll have a nice clean place-I’ll get to see your old room!” 

The tears started to fall before he could stop them. He let the blanket fall as he grabbed hold of Snafu and clung to him. 

“Whoa, what is this? C’mere, sit down,” Snafu slowly walked them back to the couch. “Talk.” 

“They’re doin’ this because they love me?” Eugene choked out. “I mean…it isn’t that I don’t appreciate it, even if don’t agree with all of this, like them building another house when there’s plenty like us who can’t find anywhere to live. But if they love me still…I mean, we invited them here, how many times, to show them the town and have dinner with us?! And they never even acknowledged any of those invites-just had Sid tell us they couldn’t make it. I sent them letters after we made it back, made it here, and the few they sent back-” 

He was a mess, tears falling faster than he could brush them away, his sinuses already aching. “Anybody could have sent those back to me. Hell, Burgin sent back nicer, warmer letters than what they sent. They love the idea of me, of who they want me to be. And I’m sure they feel some sense of obligation to me, as their child. But I don’t know that they truly love me, as I truly am. Or if they ever will.” 

The silence hung between them, until Eugene slowly raised his head. 

Snafu was weeping, tears running fast down his face. “Sledgehammer. I-” 

He sighed and sniffled as he looked away for a moment, as if the words he needed were running away from him. “Eugene. I can’t tell you exactly what they feel; I know you know that. But I can tell you how I see it. And the way I see it, is that no matter how they feel, it seems like they’re tryin’. Tryin’ to do somethin’ at least. Now, we could use the place-someplace a little bit nicer, bit bigger. I understand why you’re nervous about it, because who knows if they’ll come by or what they’d say if they did.” 

Snafu sniffled again as he grabbed Eugene’s hands and held them tightly in his, so tight it almost hurt. “But I can tell you this. If they do come by, after we’re down there, and they try and hurt you at all, or make some ultimatum about us in order for us to keep the house, then we’ll just go.” 

“Snaf-” 

“I know, I know, that would be hard and scary because where would we go and what would we do. But you know what? Just like you said-we’d make do. We’d find somewhere to land. Find jobs, find another apartment. Hell, if we really struggle then we’ll go to Sid or Burgin and tell ‘em we’re sleepin’ over for a few weeks. But we sure as hell wouldn’t stay, if that’s how they’d be treatin’ you. If that’s how it would be, then they can let that house rot, empty and lonely,” Snafu said, tears still falling, but now with something strong behind his eyes. They were piercing, but loving all at once. 

“Okay,” Eugene said shakily. “I think…I can do it, if we keep that as a plan, just in case. Would be nice, not havin’ to worry about the cats freezing overnight. They’d have my mom’s garden to play in and run around.” 

Snafu nodded. “You could plant whatever you like there. Dress the house up however we want. Actually have room for shit, even!” 

They laughed, and Eugene let himself fall against Snafu slowly to push them both back into the couch. 

“We’re really doing this,” he sighed. 

“We really are,” Snafu replied. “Tomorrow, at least. I am not packing up anything tonight though. I want to get some sleep, and keep you warm.” 

Eugene moved to press a kiss to Snafu’s neck in agreement. That at least gave him time to will his stomach to calm, before they’d be packing and getting on the road.


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Copying over my summary from when I posted this on Tumblr:   
> Part Two, road trip stuff!   
> Forgive that this probably isn’t one hundred percent historically accurate in terms of driving time-I’m literally plugging it into Google maps and just kinda going with it because I’m so bad at time estimates, and what I have been able to research about cars in the 40s and early 50s didn’t give me an exact way to estimate how long each leg would take. I’m tryin’ here, lol. This is what I get for being determined to finish a multipart fic at one in the morning.

“Please get in the carrier?” Eugene asked hopefully. 

Queen stared at him, and he could swear it was really a glare. Gunner and Little Sid had gone into their carriers with some prompting, but she was being a damn diva about it. 

“Young lady, you listen to your father and get in there,” Snafu scolded as he passed them on his way to the front door, on his seemingly hundredth trip to put another box in the car. They were leaving a lot behind-the furniture, even the stuff they’d bought themselves, plus some little knick-knacks that it was just easier to leave behind. Yet they still had far too many boxes to cram into the car. As it was, there would be just enough room for the cat’s carriers and the litter box-the cats would be getting a bathroom break every two hours of driving, they’d decided. 

Queen licked a paw, and Eugene sighed. “Please, do it for me.” 

She looked back up at him. 

“I’d feel a lot less nervous about this move if you were my best girl and just went right into your carrier. I promise it’ll be worth it, if you’re good,” Eugene said, trying not to think about how he was essentially begging a maybe ten pound creature to listen to him. 

But it worked. She let out a dainty sigh, then trotted into the carrier and settled as he shut the door of it. 

“There’s my girl,” Eugene praised as he poked a finger through the wire door for her to sniff and lick. 

“I think that’s it,” Snafu said as he came back in, dragging snow in after him. “You and the kids ready?” 

Eugene nodded and grabbed his coat. “Ready as we’ll ever be.” 

“We’re gonna be okay,” Snafu said, moving to help him pull the wool coat on. “No matter what.” 

Eugene turned to him and kissed him as he took hold of his hands. His fingers were cold, but his lips were still warm. “I know. Just gonna take getting there and a while for me to shake this.” 

“You take all the time you need. I got you,” Snafu replied. “C’mon. Let’s get the babies in the car.” 

“They’re gonna hate this,” Eugene said as he picked up Queen’s carrier. “You ready to listen to that much yellin’ and hollerin’?” 

“They might surprise us,” Snafu said, grabbing Gunner and Little Sid’s carriers as he walked out the front door. “Give ‘em a chance.” 

Eugene turned off the lights, then stopped to look at the not quite empty, yet not as full as it had been apartment. It was strange, seeing it like that. Knowing they wouldn’t have another night on the couch together, falling asleep with books in their hands or staying up too late talking. Not having the same open window in their bedroom for Gunner to go in and out of as he prowled the neighborhood, only to return before the end of the night to curl up by their feet. No more finding little Sid and Queen asleep in the linen closet, always left open for them. 

“You can get the door, right? I already gave that asshole my key,” Snafu said, breaking the spell. 

“Yeah, I got it,” Eugene replied, and stepped out of the doorway to close and lock it while Queen meowed at the cold air. “You okay running the key down, or should I?” 

“Naw, I told him I’d be back down with yours,” Snafu said as he set Gunner’s carrier down to grab the key and shove it in his trouser pocket. He picked Gunner back up and started down to the landlord and the car, leaving Eugene with Queen and his thoughts. 

“Just another sort of adventure, right Queenie?” Eugene sighed. 

She meowed angrily as the wind picked up. 

“Fair enough. Rude of me to be askin’ you questions while you freeze. Let’s get you in the car,” he replied and went down to the car. 

Snafu was settling the other two in the car, fussing with the placement of the carriers while they yowled at him. “Your daddy just had to be right about you hating this, didn’t he? Just hush, we’ll be there before you know it, you’ll nap…fuck’s sake, I hope you’ll nap.” 

“The kids aren’t happy?” Eugene said as he passed Queen’s carrier to him. 

“Oh no, they’re thrilled. Singing a song about how much they love the car, can’t you hear it?” 

Eugene winced at a particularly piercing shriek from Little Sid. “I can. Lovely.” 

“Isn’t it just?” Snafu laughed as he got Queen settled in and shut the car door. “We’re gonna be serenaded until they fall asleep. If they fall asleep.” 

Eugene got in the passenger side-Snafu had agreed to drive for the first leg of the drive, ideally all the way from Annapolis to Richmond in Virginia. “They’ll sleep. That’s one of their favorite things. Just give them time to get used to the sound of the car, the bouncing. I mean, they’ll still hate this, but they’ll sleep at least.” 

Snafu shook his head as he got in, and started the car. “How about you? Gonna try and sleep?” 

“We’ve barely been awake,” Eugene replied. Granted, it had been a very busy morning of quick packing and buying what they didn’t have but needed, namely the cat carriers. “Besides, who’s gonna keep you awake?” 

Queen let out what could only be described as an angry scream, and Snafu pointed to the back seat. “That might do it.” 

They laughed as Snafu got them onto the road, but the pit from before was back in Eugene’s stomach. It was one thing to say they were doing this, but actually being in the car, driving away from what had been their home? That was a whole other game, and he wasn’t sure he knew the rules of it well enough to play it right. 

They stayed quiet as they drove-the cats were making enough noise for two cars, let alone just theirs. It was comforting, just watching Snafu as he drove. The little twitch of his jaw every now and again, and how he’d instantly toss his arm across Eugene if they had to make a sudden stop. The way he’d occasionally crack and roll his neck, yet never complaining that it was stiff. 

There was the rest of the state, plus entirely new ones to watch as they drove too. Different flora and fauna, neighborhoods and main streets with little shops unique to them, all passing them by. 

The two hours passed faster than he’d expected. They’d left a little after noon, then suddenly it was about 2:30, and they were pulling up to a gas station in Richmond. 

“Ugh,” Snafu grimaced as he got out of the car. “Gotta walk about for a bit before we keep goin’, or my legs are gonna waste away.” 

“Same,” Eugene admitted. It hadn’t been that horribly far, but his legs and back didn’t care about that. “Least the kids are finally quiet.” 

The cats had finally calmed. They didn’t look pleased, but they were quiet. 

“Yeah. I’ll let them out, probably one by one to see if they need their box. Don’t want them trying to run off,” Snafu said, opening the back door to lean in and take the cover off of the litter box. 

Eugene wandered while Snafu fussed with the cats, looking around at the surrounding buildings. He always wondered how things might have been different, if the train had stopped anywhere else. If they’d gotten off of it sooner, or tried to go back to Mobile or New Orleans together. He wouldn’t change any of what had happened for anything, but at the same time he couldn’t help but be curious. 

“We’re all cleaned up and fueled up. Ready to go when you are,” Snafu called from the car. 

“Really? No extra walking, or a bathroom break?” Eugene asked as he jogged back over. 

Snafu shrugged. “I’m okay. But if you need a minute-” 

Eugene shook his head. “Nah. Just-I don’t know.” 

“All up in that smart head of yours, overthinkin’ things?” 

He smiled. “Yeah. I guess so. Just thinkin’ how weird it is, driving through all these places. All these people living and going about their day. Wondering what it’d be like if we’d ended up here, or anywhere else.” 

Snafu nodded. “I think about that too, sometimes. Would we have found a decent place to live? Decent jobs? As it is, I still can’t get over them bein’ okay with us just up and going, never to return.” 

“Told them both it was a family thing. They understood,” Eugene replied. He’d taken over calling their jobs that morning, as soon as he knew their supervisors would be in. The library he’d been working at raised no issue and asked no extra questions about it once he’d mentioned family, and the mechanic that Snafu had worked for only asked kindly if everyone was going to be okay before wishing them the best and saying he’d miss Snafu around the shop. 

“Good idea. I mean, it technically is. Any idea what you might do once we get down there?” Snafu asked. “I’m thinkin’ I’ll just see if there isn’t another mechanic in need of help. Like workin’ with my hands like that, think I’d miss it if I did anything else.” 

“Not exactly. But since we don’t have to pay for the house or anything, kinda thought about school,” Eugene replied as he went to the driver’s side and got in. 

Snafu nodded and went to the passenger side. “Well, whatever you wanna do, I’ll help you get it however I can. I’m not much for studying, but I promise I’ll do my best to help, if that’s what you end up doin’.” 

“You could go back too, if you wanted,” Eugene said as he started the car and pulled them back onto the road. This next leg was a bit longer, three hours rather than two, taking them to Fayetteville, North Carolina. He just hoped the cats would be okay with the extra hour of driving. 

“Aw jeez,” Snafu sighed. “I mean…someone has to be bringing in some cash for food. I’ll let you go back and get your degree first, then we can worry about me.” 

“If you say so,” Eugene smiled. He suddenly had an image of Snafu in a pair of thick glasses, poring over a textbook. It was both incredibly goofy and wonderfully adorable, and if anything horribly inaccurate. The actual image of Snafu studying, he figured, was similar to watching him read. Usually with a look of slight concentration that just wrinkled his brow, with his shirt off if it was summer or a blanket over him in the winter, slouching on the couch or laying with his legs across Eugene’s lap. The sight always made Eugene lose his spot in whatever book he was reading. 

They settled into their comfortable silence as Eugene drove, and eventually he heard the sound of Snafu snoring. He’d been waiting for it-he knew he was more tired than he’d let on. They’d both taken their coats off midway on the way to Richmond, as it got warmer the further South they went, and now Snafu was using them both as a blanket. 

The trip felt longer when he was driving, and he couldn’t help but yawn as he pulled up to a gas station in Fayetteville a little after six o’clock. 

Snafu woke with a start as he turned the car off. “Sorry, sorry. I passed out on ya. Didn’t mean to.” 

Eugene shrugged. “Not a big deal. Not much to do if you aren’t driving, might as well sleep. I know I will. Speaking of-you really wanna keep going? We can probably find a motel room easy enough.” 

Snafu chewed at his bottom lip, then shook his head. “Bet they won’t want us to bring the cats in. And if they ask questions-” 

“Friends can go on road trips together,” Eugene said, but he couldn’t convince himself that Snafu was wrong. It was an added factor, wondering if they’d be questioned in any way or unable to find a spot to rest based on what people might figure out about them. They were being careful-no kisses, no hand-holding, even though it killed him not to do any of it. But you could never be too careful. 

“I’ll be okay,” Snafu said. “Tell you what, how about we go hour by hour for the night? Just pull over on the shoulder or wherever we can for a few minutes, then switch. We can both get a bit of sleep, but neither one of us has to drive too exhausted.” 

“I like that,” Eugene said as he got out of the car. “What say we hit the bathroom, then she’s all yours?” 

They made their break quick, then switched sides as they got back to the car. For a second at the front of the car, Eugene paused to grab Snafu’s hand and give a squeeze. He couldn’t bear not touching him in all the little ways they usually did. 

Back in the car, Snafu grabbed his hand and pressed a quick kiss to it before starting the car. “Ready for Augusta?” 

“Sure!” Eugene laughed. “Just another three and some hours away, right? Oh god-we aren’t driving anywhere for a week after this.” 

“Agreed,” Snafu smiled as he started the car and they headed out yet again. “Now get some sleep-you only got an hour, after all.” 

He didn’t need to be told twice, leaning back in the seat and using Snafu’s coat as a blanket. He had a feeling it would be a quick hour.


	3. Part Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The road trip to Mobile rolls on.

“C’mon. Up and at ‘em, Sledgehammer,” Snafu’s voice sounded tired. 

He groaned as he worked to force his eyes open. Once he did, he peered around at their surroundings. He wasn’t sure where they were-on the shoulder of a road, somewhere. It seemed like they were far enough out that it had to have been longer than an hour, but he knew Snafu would never admit if it had been or not. 

“Fuck” Eugene murmured. 

“I feel that,” Snafu yawned as he tried to scoot down the bench seat towards the passenger side. 

“What on earth are you doing?” Eugene asked. 

“Don’t wanna get out. Just let me move down,” Snafu whined. 

“So then I gotta get out?” Eugene laughed. 

Snafu shook his head, then suddenly moved and tossed a leg over him so he was in Eugene’s lap. “This better?” 

The car was suddenly incredibly warm, and Eugene had to fight against the part of him that was thinking about how they hadn’t kissed or touched much in hours, and how good it would feel to rid Snafu of his shirt and trousers so he could taste all of that soft, gorgeous skin. 

“Would be, if we were somewhere I could do something about it,” Eugene said. “Down, boy.” 

Snafu grinned and shifted himself off of him as Eugene moved to the driver’s side. “You’re tellin’ me down, but I’m not the one that’s up right now, darlin’.” 

Eugene blushed. “Yeah, I’m very aware of that. And I can’t do a damn thing about it.” 

Snafu laughed. “I’ll make up for it once we get home, how about that? After all, we aren’t goin’ anywhere for a week, per you. Why not spend most of it in the bedroom?” 

“I’m supposed to be focusing on the road,” Eugene scolded. 

“Mhm,” Snafu nodded. “Meanwhile I’m focusing on all the reasons I started callin’ you Sledgehammer. I mean, you know the main one, but also definitely ‘cause of your-” 

“Merriell,” Eugene smiled, even as he continued to scold.

“We’re the only ones in here, aside from the kids. And they’re sleepin’ good right now. No reason I can’t sing the praises of your cock if I want to,” Snafu said. “And gosh, I might not even sleep the next hour if I do that. Could fill the whole hour, just like how I love it when your cock fills my-” 

Eugene leaned over to grab Snafu quickly but gently by the chin and kiss him before he could say anything else dirty. The kiss was dirtier-he had meant it to be quick and quieting, but after a moment it had deepened and became hard to break off. 

“Glad this thing is still in park,” Eugene sighed as they broke apart. “I’d have probably run us into a damn tree if we were on the road right now.” 

Snafu had a satisfied grin on his face. “Don’t I know it. Gonna have to tell Sid to get gone as soon as we get the key from him. I’m not holdin’ back, once we get ourselves and everything inside, and the cat’s settled. I don’t care how tired I am.” 

“Then you’d better sleep now,” Eugene said as he pulled them back onto the road. “No falling asleep on me later.” 

Snafu nodded, and was asleep within ten minutes of driving, as Eugene had expected he would be. Snoring loud enough to help keep him awake too, which he was grateful for. The road was long and mostly empty except for the occasional other car, and so damn dark. But it would be worth it if they could make the majority of the trip without a need for a long break. 

Still, the hour he drove felt like four, and unfortunately it hit again when they were in between towns. 

“Sweetheart, your turn,” he sighed, gently pushing at Snafu. 

Snafu grumbled something back that might have been words, but didn’t open his eyes. 

“Snaf, c’mon. I know, this is rough. But we’re gettin’ there.” 

Snafu opened an eye and grumbled again. “Under a spell. Need a handsome prince to wake me up.” 

“Lord help me, you’re delirious,” Eugene said. “Never mind, I can go another hour.” 

Snafu moved to lean against his shoulder. “Kiss me.” 

“You’ll wake up enough to drive if I do?” Eugene asked. 

Snafu shrugged and slowly opened his eyes. “Sure. Or kiss me just ‘cause.” 

“You miss my lips or somethin’?” Eugene smiled. 

Snafu nodded, then sat up to press a gentle kiss to his lips. 

Eugene had told himself he’d make it quick, but once Snafu’s mouth was on his he couldn’t. It didn’t help that he especially loved how Snafu kissed when he was tired. Slow and soft, but with barely a break in between to catch his breath, like he couldn’t bear to be off of Eugene for even that quick second. 

Despite his best efforts to stay composed, he found himself pulling Snafu closer, wanting him on his lap but not being over on the seat far enough to properly do so. He settled for letting a hand roam to Snafu’s lap, caressing and teasing. 

“Fuck!” Snafu pulled away from him and dove down. “Look like you’re looking for a map or some shit.” 

He played at looking at something on the seat, just as another car drove past them. 

They both sighed when it was far enough in the distance. 

“Shit. Sorry, I didn’t see it,” Eugene muttered, leaning back against the seat and pressing a hand to his forehead. 

“I know you didn’t; you were busy,” Snafu grinned as he sat back up, grabbing at his own half hard cock. “Goddamn you, Sledgehammer. Is this revenge for earlier?” 

“Wasn’t meant to be, but I guess it is now,” he replied. “Give me a second and we’ll switch.” 

Snafu went for the car door, but before he could move much Eugene adjusted enough to swing a leg over his lap and trap him there, just like Snafu had done earlier to him. 

“Well this is just evil,” Snafu sighed. “I can’t drive with you in my lap.” 

“I know,” Eugene murmured. “You got me going now though.” 

“Apparently,” Snafu sighed as he pulled Eugene close for a kiss. “But even I know we can’t fuck here.” 

Eugene ground himself down on Snafu’s lap and moaned. Snafu was right-but he didn’t really care about that right now. 

“Sledgehammer,” Snafu whined, a hint of an authoritative tone present. “You’re killin’ me.” 

After another kiss, Eugene willed himself off of Snafu. “Sorry, I just-” 

“I know,” Snafu replied, reaching over to grab his hand as he moved to the driver’s side. “I shouldn’t have started anything. Just-I don’t know, I can’t handle not touching and being close.” 

“We always want to do the thing we can’t do at that moment,” Eugene said in agreement. “Least we’ve only got another hour or so to Augusta. Maybe we should try for a motel room. Worst case is there’s nothing available, or we get told no or they make us nervous and we have to leave.” 

“Those are all terrible options,” Snafu said as he started the car. “But you’re right. We’ll have to see if there’s anywhere we can stop and get a room.” 

“Wake me when we get there,” Eugene sighed and let himself slump into the seat as he palmed at himself, trying to force himself to calm back down. 

He felt like he’d barely been asleep, and then Snafu was shaking him awake. “Honey. Found a place. They’re good with the cats so long as they stay in their carriers. Already let them out for a bathroom break-and you should see, they kept their carriers clean too. We’ve got such good kids. You gotta help me carry them and our suitcases in though.” 

He was barely awake as he took his suitcase in one hand and Queen’s carrier in the other and followed Snafu into the motel. Snafu had it even worse, trying to hold both a suitcase and the handle of Gunner’s carrier in one hand, with Little Sid’s carrier in the other. He still managed a wave to the front desk receptionist, who cheerfully pointed them down towards their room. 

At the door, Snafu set down Little Sid to grab the room key from his pocket and open it. “I am so excited for a bed. I mean, not as much as I was comin’ home from Okinawa, but man it’s definitely up there with it.” 

Eugene managed a nod as he followed Snafu into the room. It had two beds that looked like they might not totally fall apart if one were to use them, and Eugene let himself fall on one as soon as he’d set down his suitcase and Queen. 

“Amen, darlin’,” Snafu sighed as he set down his suitcase and the other two cats. “Scoot over.” 

Eugene sat up to take off his shoes, and moved so Snafu could sit beside him. 

Snafu had his shoes off in a flash, and flopped back against the bed. “Oh. That is-is it wrong if that was arousing? Because my god, this bed is so soft-” 

Eugene tossed his shoes to the floor and crawled back to rest next to Snafu. “I’m softer. Or, wait no, I mean, I am right now but you can make me hard-I mean, uh-” 

Snafu burst out laughing. “Oh, Sledgehammer. I appreciate the effort. You go back to sleep.” 

He didn’t want to just go to sleep though. He moved to press kisses to Snafu’s neck, then his chest as he undid Snafu’s shirt, pressing hard to turn them into hickeys. 

“You are not even half awake enough for this,” Snafu grinned, but gasped as Eugene moved down and undid his trousers, pulling them and his underwear aside to take him into his mouth without another word. “Eugene.” 

Eugene let himself look up at Snafu with half open eyes, his lower lip still lazily resting against the head of Snafu’s cock. 

“Fuck,” Snafu whimpered. “But sweetheart, you should be more awake for this. Not that I don’t appreciate what you’re doin’ right now. Trust me, I am-this is very good. But it isn’t fair or right if you aren’t conscious enough to enjoy it too.” 

“Mhm,” Eugene let himself lay gently on his hip, a hand still lightly teasing Snafu’s cock. 

“You come up here instead,” Snafu instructed, reaching his hands out for him. 

Eugene pulled himself back up the bed, and let Snafu wrap his arms around him. “You sleep now. We’ll have time for fun once we’re home, and all settled in. Or at least, after we have everything in the house and the cats unpacked. Unpacking everything else can wait.” 

Eugene frowned and raised his head. “Am home.” 

“We’re in a motel, Sledgehammer,” Snafu whispered as he ran a hand softly through Eugene’s hair. 

“Yeah. With you-so I’m home,” Eugene replied. Couldn’t Snafu understand that without him having to say? It seemed so obvious. But then, he was tired too. 

He felt Snafu kiss his forehead as he started to fall asleep again. “That is true. Long as we got each other, we’re home. Sleep well, darlin’.”


	4. Part Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last leg of the road trip, some smut, and a surprise upon arriving in Mobile.

“Everything hurts,” Eugene grumbled as he dropped into the driver’s side of the bench seat. “The hell was that bed made of?” 

“No idea. Felt soft enough-didn’t know a bed could lie to you like that,” Snafu replied, leaned back against the passenger side of the seat. 

They had checked out early, at five in the morning, to get the whole trip over with faster. Ironically, the cats now seemed to be enjoying the car rides, while Eugene felt that he’d lose his mind if he had to spend too much more time in it. 

The sun was a welcome friend, rising as they drove on towards Auburn, Alabama. It was another three hour and some leg, but almost the last-after Auburn it was another three to four hours to Mobile, and freedom from the car. 

Eugene could hardly wait. 

“You know, if we get caught speedin’ then we’ll only get there slower, right?” Snafu asked, tapping his arm. “We can take another break midway, if you want.” 

He honestly hadn’t been paying enough attention to realize he was speeding. The only thought in his head was getting to the house, getting to see Sid for the key, then getting inside and sleeping for a day straight-then spending the next two days in bed with Snafu, and ignoring anyone who might come by. 

“Nah, I’ll be fine. Just ready to be there,” Eugene said, easing up till the speedometer read an acceptable speed. 

“Wouldn’t mind a stop myself. You know how many places we’ve been through and we haven’t taken in a single sight?” 

“We’ve seen gas stations, and the motel,” Eugene replied. 

“Wow. I bet Sid’ll be so excited to hear all about those gas stations-what mighty fine sights of America, what with their pumps and overhangs and bathrooms. Gosh, we’ll have to do our best to paint that picture, but I don’t think he’ll be satisfied with that,” Snafu said. 

“Shush,” Eugene said with a smile. 

“Oh man, and the motel? Well, he can just feel how out of place our backs are to get the full idea of what that place was like. Oh, how jealous he will be of our trip, seeing all that this part of the country has to offer,” Snafu continued, his hands gesticulating wildly, as if his sarcasm was thick enough to have become physical in the air that he could manipulate it with his fingertips.

“Okay, fine. But where would we stop?” Eugene asked. 

Snafu shrugged. “You were the one that lived here before. You tell me.” 

“I lived in Mobile, not…everywhere,” Eugene laughed. “Check the map, see if there’s anything interesting.” 

“Hate this fucker,” Snafu mumbled as he wrangled the map from where it had been half-assedly folded and tossed at their feet. “Won’t fold out or in right, swear it does it on purpose.” 

“Hm. Chewacla State Park-isn’t horribly out of the way once we get past Auburn. Could walk around a little bit. Bet it’s pretty out there,” Snafu said as he finally got the map to behave. 

“Sounds good. You gotta stay awake to make sure I go the right way though,” Eugene said with a look to the map. He didn’t mind having to stop and check directions, but it was so much easier to have Snafu do it so they didn’t actually need to stop. 

“Yessir,” Snafu nodded. “But I’m burnin’ this map once we get home.” 

“What if we ever take another trip?” 

“Then we’ll buy a map that knows how to be a map, and not do this nonsense,” Snafu said as he moved just slightly, and the map managed to twist over itself. “Honestly!” 

Eugene resisted the urge to laugh and focused on the road as Snafu continued his fight with the map. Snafu did have a point-who knew if or when they’d travel so far again. Might as well stop in at least one place and take it in properly. He’d even dig out the Kodak Brownie in his suitcase and take a picture or two. 

It all seemed so smooth and easy, so naturally it couldn’t actually be that way. 

They had just passed through Auburn, fueled up, and were not quite to the state park when the car grumbled to a stop, and refused to move. 

Eugene was ready to curse the car out, but Snafu didn’t even give him the chance. The car had barely stopped completely, with Eugene quickly putting it to park before Snafu was out of the door, running to grab his tool box from where it was buried under boxes in the backseat. 

“You think you know what’s wrong with it?” Eugene asked as he got out and joined Snafu to peer at the engine. 

“Do I know what’s wrong with it? Eugene, I have spent over two years dealing with this car’s various complaints and bellyaches. I daresay I can find what’s wrong with it,” Snafu said, his sleeves already rolled up as he started his diagnostic search. 

“Oh of course. But what if it needs something we don’t have, a part or somethin’?” 

Snafu shrugged. “Shouldn’t need. Just give me a few minutes here.” 

“Huh. Y’know, seems like you always got it fixed faster with your shirt off. Plus, it’ll get awful dirty if you leave it on. Since I’m not much help anyway with this, I could even hold onto it for you,” Eugene said cloyingly. 

Snafu emerged from his lean over the engine and offered him a shit-eating grin. “Oh, I bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you darlin’?” 

“I’m just thinkin’ of gettin’ us to the park, and then back on the road,” Eugene said with a smile. 

“That’s all, huh? Just worried about the magical powers of my shirt being off helpin’ me to fix this thing?” 

“Of course,” Eugene giggled. 

“Sledgehammer,” Snafu scolded playfully. “Now, I am busy servicin’ this junk. I’m too busy to get to yours right now, so you stop that unless you can wait.” 

He laughed as he settled on the ground near the car, watching the other cars pass them by. On his own, he would have been panicking over the car breaking down. But Snafu had such a way about him (and thankfully the mechanical knowledge) to make the whole situation feel like a happy incident, even as he swore at the car and picked around inside it. Sure, the car was broken down, but the sun was shining, the kids were happy and sleeping in the backseat, and his husband was finally listening to him and unbuttoning his shirt. 

Snafu’s shirt hit him in the face with a soft thump, and he broke out laughing again as he held it in his hands and watched Snafu work. It smelt of grease and Snafu, and he was loathe to give it back when Snafu reached for it not twenty minutes later. 

“Let me drive for a bit,” Snafu said as he pulled his shirt on. “I should have taken over in Auburn anyway.” 

He certainly wasn’t going to argue against that. He let his eyes wander over Snafu as he drove, his shirt on but left hanging unbuttoned and open, the sleeves rolled up. 

At the park, they pulled up into the first empty dirt lot they found. 

“I’m glad you vouched for stopping,” Eugene said, sighing as he looked out the window. “It is awfully pretty.” 

“Sure is,” Snafu murmured. 

“Gorgeous,” he continued. 

“Absolutely,” Snafu breathed softly. 

Eugene turned to find Snafu resting on his arms, leaned against the steering wheel, looking at him adoringly. 

“I was talkin’ about the view,” Eugene smiled. 

“So am I,” Snafu sighed. “And look at him-he’s breath-taking.” 

Eugene blushed. “We’re supposed to be taking in the wilderness.” 

“Isn’t that we’re doin’?” Snafu asked, moving to lean against Eugene. “I’m wild.” 

“What happened to getting out and taking a walk?” 

“Could. But I’m plenty happy stayin’ in here with you,” Snafu replied. “Think I have some ideas for what we can do.” 

“What about bein’ careful?” Eugene asked quietly, draping his arms over Snafu, letting his fingertips trail over the bare skin of his chest. 

“We’re always careful,” Snafu sighed. “There’s nobody out here but us.” 

“As far as we know,” Eugene replied. 

Snafu nodded and grabbed Eugene’s hand to press a kiss to his palm. “True. But sometimes, I get sick of bein’ careful. I just want to be able to kiss you and hold your hand, and not worry about anyone sayin’ nothing.” 

“I know. I want that too,” Eugene said. 

“Nobody knows us right here. If someone sees, we just drive away, and never come back here,” Snafu whispered. He moved carefully until he was sat on Eugene’s lap, slowly unbuttoning his shirt so he could place a hand on Eugene’s chest, right over his heart. 

Eugene pulled him down for a kiss, slow and sweet. For a moment, after the kiss broke, they both peered around out the windows. 

Nothing. No one. Dead silence but for their breathing and the sound of the cats occasionally shuffling in their carriers where they slept. 

He pulled him close again, and then he couldn’t get enough. He kissed every inch of Snafu’s skin that he could reach, caressed everywhere he could, moaning like they’d been apart for years. It felt like it might as well have been. 

Snafu was the same, pressing his lips everywhere-to his neck, his collarbone, everywhere on his face and finally in deep kisses to his lips that made them both groan and grind against each other. 

“There isn’t room for-” Eugene started, even as he worked to undo Snafu’s trousers. 

“I know,” Snafu sighed shakily with a grin. “We’ll just have to make do.” 

It was frantic and sloppy, and they couldn’t do everything they wanted, but it was so satisfying all the same. Snafu in his lap, their hips moving together even though it was too much of a struggle to free themselves from their trousers and underwear. They didn’t need to touch like that at this point, as wonderful as it would have felt-he was already drunk on sensation, so much so that he was well aware they were both going to need their other change of clothes from their suitcases. 

Snafu lost control first, grinding his hips down as he came, moaning wantonly and kissing Eugene like it was the only thing to give him life. 

Eugene followed after, his head thrown back as Snafu kissed at his neck and rode out his shuddering movements, threading his hands through Eugene’s hair. 

“I’m glad we didn’t wait till we got home,” Eugene murmured as they came back down. 

Snafu smiled as he slowly moved off of Eugene’s lap. “Same. Could you imagine if we had?” 

“We really wouldn’t have left the bedroom for a week,” he replied. 

“Now we’ll just have to stay in there for, oh, three days or so,” Snafu said with a sharp laugh. 

“Sounds good to me. We still gotta get there though,” Eugene said as he turned to reach over the seat to try and get into their suitcases. It was a rougher task than he’d anticipated, but finally he had a fresh change of clothes out for both of them. 

They cleaned themselves up and changed as quickly as they could in the car-another less than easy assignment. But once it was done and their other clothes were tossed in the back, it was all too easy to get back on the road. 

As they drove away, Eugene realized he’d never taken a picture of the park. That was okay though-it wasn’t a memory to be shared with anyone but himself and Snafu, and he had it sharp in his mind.

Snafu took over the rest of the drive, but the last few hours felt so much longer. He was almost excited now-after all, it would only be Sid meeting them, and he’d give them the night and the next day to settle in. That left so much time-to rest and show Snafu the house, to enjoy it all. 

“Sid said we just go to his place, and he’ll have the key waiting,” Snafu said as they drove into Mobile. “You ready?” 

Eugene nodded. “Kinda nervous, kinda excited. But I’m ready.” 

“Good,” Snafu said as he navigated the streets, following as Eugene directed him down one rather than another to reach Sid’s house faster. 

As they pulled up to Sid’s, his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. “Why don’t we go to the house first. Show you how to get there-then we can come back and get the key.” 

“Why?” Snafu asked. “What-” 

He watched as Snafu realized, taking in the other, very nice-looking car by Sid’s. “Okay. We’ll go. Give me a second to get us turned back-” 

Before he could, Sid was outside waving them down. 

“We’ll make something up,” Snafu started. “Give ‘em a reason we can’t stay.” 

Sid ran up to the car, a pained look on his face. “I’m sorry, I told them not to come, but-” 

There they were, now standing just outside of Sid’s front door. Not waving, or smiling, or anything. Just watching. 

His parents.


	5. Part Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank goodness for good friends like Sid during a less-than-ideal homecoming.

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Eugene could hear himself talking, yet couldn’t register that it was his own voice. “I knew it. I knew it, goddamn it, I knew it-” 

Snafu’s hand was tight on his. “You’re okay. We’re gonna be fine.” 

Sid had directed them to a side of the driveway to park as his parents had continued to watch them, and now stood leaned in through the cranked down window, rubbing Eugene’s back. “Snafu is right. You’re gonna be okay. Look, you don’t even have to come in or get near them. I’ll run and get the key, and bring it right to you here, okay?” 

“Thank you, Sid,” Snafu said as he wrapped Eugene in his arms. “You’re shakin.’ Come back to me, darlin’.” 

But he couldn’t, as tightly focused as he was on watching his parents as they stared from the porch. He couldn’t see their eyes close, of course, but still he searched for something-worry, concern, wonder, anything. But it seemed like there was nothing there, and it broke him. 

They watched as Sid came back out from the house, only to be stopped by Eugene’s father. They started to argue, and Eugene could just make out Sid’s defense of him, of them, as he stormed back towards the car. 

“Jesus,” Sid grumbled. “Here you are. I’m so sorry, I can’t say that enough.” 

“It isn’t your fault, Sid. They played us all to get a confrontation, but we aren’t gonna let ‘em have it,” Snafu replied, moving one arm just enough to take the house key from Sid, the other still holding tightly onto Eugene. 

“Damn right they aren’t. I told them not to follow you either-said if they did, then I’d help you both leave to go wherever you want, and I wouldn’t tell them where you were going. Wouldn’t make any calls on their behalf to you or get any letters to you either,” Sid said, his voice caught in his throat, and Eugene turned enough to look at him and see the tears in his eyes. 

“I hate to do this to you, but can you tell them somethin’?” Eugene asked as he slowly moved from Snafu’s embrace and sat up, wiping tears from his face.

“Sure,” Sid replied, and reached in to hold Eugene’s hand. 

“I’m willing to entertain them for one night, for dinner. As for where things go from there-” he took a deep, shaky breath. “We’ll see. It’ll depend on how they act that night. I want them polite, treatin’ us like the nice new couple that moved in next door. Tell ‘em, if they can’t do that, then don’t bother. That we appreciate this-the house and all-but we sure as hell don’t appreciate the manipulation that came with it. And if that means they want us to leave the house, then we will.” 

Snafu nodded. “What night you want them to come over?” 

“Next week? Give us time to settle in decently, make sure the house is clean, get some groceries?” Eugene replied. 

“Well, I made sure the pantry is full as of yesterday,” Sid said, and they both stared. 

“What? Look, I don’t know what to do for a proper housewarming, but you always need food.” 

“Thank you. For all of this-you shouldn’t have had to even be involved,” Eugene sighed. 

“You two just get home safe. I’ll tell ‘em, and give you a call to let you know what they say to it. You both head on out, go home and get some rest,” Sid gave his hand a final squeeze, then turned and walked back toward the house. 

Snafu handed him the key before starting the car and turning them round to get back on the road, and he found himself stuck staring at it. 

It was as familiar as ever, but felt heavy in his hand. There was so much in question resting on the key-would they even get to keep the house? Or would they be gone by the end of next week, on to find somewhere new, stuck in the car again for who knew how many more hours? 

“Just keep on straight?” Snafu’s voice broke his reverie. “Right here, or…” 

“Keep on straight. We’ve got a ways to go yet on this road. It’s further out than this,” Eugene said, again hearing himself speak, knowing the flat and numb voice was his, but not really registering it as himself. 

He let himself lean against Snafu as they kept on, the sunlight filtering through the trees near the road feeling like an intruder. How could it dare to be so bright when it felt like everything had come crashing down on top of them?

“Holy shit, is this it?” Snafu murmured. 

Eugene looked up, and nodded. “No twists or turns, just a long ass road to drive down that feels like it goes on forever. This is us.” 

“Look, I knew you and your folks were in good shape, but…fuck,” Snafu breathed. “This is-wow.” 

He pulled up close to the house, carefully steering on the circular gravel driveway. “You wanna go in first, then we’ll bring in the babies?” 

Eugene nodded, and looked back to the cats. They’d had a few breaks for their box over the last leg, but he knew they were really just antsy to be out of their carriers. It had been a long trip, for all of them. 

He went to the front door, the key grasped in his sweating hand. 

“Hey, go ahead, unlock and open it, but don’t go in,” Snafu said as he came up behind him. 

“Why?” Eugene asked. “You just wanna stay out on the step all night?” 

“Just do it. Humor me-I got an idea to cheer you up,” Snafu smiled. 

Eugene shook his head, but did as instructed. As the door swung open, he turned to Snafu. “Okay. Now what?” 

Before he could do anything else, Snafu had moved and picked him up in a bridal carry. “Takin’ my beloved over the threshold, that’s what.” 

“Please don’t drop me,” Eugene laughed, trying not to hold too tightly onto Snafu. 

“I will not drop you. Could have carried your ass all the way across Peleliu if I’d had to, you know,” Snafu replied as he carefully walked them through the doorway. 

“Is that so? Even when I was new, scared out of my wits and damn near useless?” 

“You were never useless,” Snafu replied as he let him down. “And we were all scared.” 

“You never seemed scared,” Eugene said. “I know you were, but-” 

“I sure as hell was. Bet you thought I wasn’t scared back there either.” 

“You mean with my parents?” Eugene asked softly. 

He nodded. “Well, I was. Half terrified they were gonna come rip you out of the car or somethin’. I know they couldn’t, but-” 

He seemed to lose his words, and instead wrapped his arms around Eugene. 

They stood for a good minute, the door still hanging open, but all the world stopped for their hurting hearts and their arms holding them both up. 

Finally, Eugene found it within himself to move again. “Better go get the kids and our stuff. Even if we’re only here for a week, damn it we’re gonna be comfortable.” 

“There’s my man,” Snafu sniffled, wiping tears from his eyes. 

Releasing the cats into their new home went about as he’d envisioned it would. They darted out of their carriers in three different directions, their claws skittering on the wood floors. He winced for a moment, then shook it off. Why the hell should he feel bad for his mother’s feelings about the floor? She knew the cats were coming. If it had been an issue, then she should have told Sid to let them know. 

Thinking about Sid seemed to conjure him, and the phone rang as they finished loading in the last of their things, the boxes dropped in whichever room the contents were meant to go in. 

“Hey,” Eugene answered it as he watched Snafu. He was on the floor with Little Sid, who was bouncing around the boxes near the front hall and having the time of his life. 

“How goes unpacking?” Sid asked. 

“It doesn’t. I mean, we have our boxes inside, but-I don’t know. Don’t feel safe enough to really unpack yet. Cats are happy to be out and running though,” Eugene replied, biting back a laugh as Snafu dropped from his knees to a side, playing at dead as Little Sid gently batted a paw at him. 

“Well, that’s good to hear. Say, your parents wondered if Wednesday would work.” 

“Okay. We can make Wednesday work out. Are they…I mean, I know you told them everything…” Eugene started, but trailed off, exhausted at the prospect of another emotional conversation. He was ready for bed. 

“We had a real long conversation about it all. I’ve never felt so adult as I did, basically gave ‘em a tongue-lashing, just like they used to do to us. But they finally listened, or at least it seems like they did. Tried to get across how all this makes you and Snaf feel, how frustrating it is. I think they’re starting to understand, or they’re trying to at least. I know that isn’t the best answer-” Sid said.

“A hell of a lot better than what I was anticipating,” Eugene sighed. “I know things aren’t ever going to be like I’m hoping, or like they’re hoping. I just want to find something in the middle that works for all of us.” 

“That’s all I want for you, honestly. You deserve it, the two of you. Do you…I mean, I can be there, on Wednesday. If you both want me there,” Sid said. 

“I can’t do that to you,” Eugene replied. He wasn’t sure if it would help or hurt anyway. Part of him wanted Sid there, but another part felt terrible pulling him back into the issues with his parents. 

“Tell you what-consider me on call. If you call Wednesday night and tell me to come over, I come over. If you don’t call, then I stay put and wait for you to call me Thursday and tell me how it went,” Sid said.

“Okay. And thank you, again. I’m never gonna be able to thank you enough, you know that?” 

“You two come over and see me every now and again, and we’ll call it even,” Sid laughed. “Have a good night, and call me if you need anything.” 

“Will do,” Eugene replied, and set the handset down. “Wednesday.” 

Snafu stood up and walked over. “Sounds good. Gives us time to figure out a menu, plan everything out. Find the good dishes, all of that.” 

Eugene nodded, and leaned against the wall near the phone. 

“C’mon. We’ve got as much done as we can for now. Let’s get some sleep. I wasn’t sure which bedroom you’d want us usin’-” 

“Actually, I wondered if we could stay down here. For the cats’ sake, since this is all still new to them,” Eugene interrupted. Really, he just couldn’t bear to go into his old room or any of the other bedrooms right then, even the guest bedroom. 

He knew Snafu knew that, just from the look he gave him. “Of course. We can set up some pillows and blankets on the floor, sort of like camping out. But a hell of a lot more comfortable. Figurin’ out and settin’ up the bedroom can wait for a night.” 

He let Snafu take over the set up of their temporary camp, watching from the couch in the sitting room as he moved bits of furniture and laid out all the blankets and pillows they’d had packed. 

He joined Snafu once it was all ready, not even bothering to change into pajamas. It didn’t feel much like it mattered, considering they’d barely slept for nights on end, and had been in their clothes that whole time. Putting them on felt too hopeful, too ‘settled’-when he wasn’t sure it was really safe to be that just yet. 

“Thank you,” he murmured as they lay down for the night. It was only just six o’clock-early, but he was so ready to sleep. “For everything, Merriell.” 

Snafu frowned. “What do you mean?” 

“Being here. Loving me despite all this extra shit,” Eugene replied, toying with his wedding ring. 

Snafu grabbed his hands and pressed kisses to them. “I could thank you for all the same. That’s what love is. You make choices, every day, like that. Staying no matter what shit’s goin’ down. Being strong when you need to be, but knowin’ you can let yourself fall apart and the other person will catch all your pieces. That’s what I’m doin’ now, ‘cause I know you’d do the same for me. I love you, Eugene.” 

The tears started again, a mix of exhaustion, sadness at the thought of his parents, happiness at Snafu and everything they had in each other. He let them fall silently as Snafu held onto him, and they slowly, finally fell into a good deep sleep.


	6. Part Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I tried to find a proper source for the recipe I included in this part, but this was the best source I could find lol: https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/food-and-cooking/the-s-food-in-wartime-and-peace/article_2f98ef78-fccd-50e3-aa8d-e4331dc1170e.html  
> Even if they weren't making the dish in question, dinner would still be a tense topic, and jesus does Eugene need a break from worrying about it, as you'll see in this chapter.

“We have bourbon,” Snafu was in the pantry, rifling through everything Sid had bought for them. “Do we really need more than that? Your parents drink that much?” 

“That’ll be fine. Any ideas on a main dish?” 

Snafu popped back out and shrugged. “Not really. You?” 

“Y’ever heard of ‘delicious combination?” Eugene replied. 

Snafu’s eyes went wide. “We have to eat it too, you remember that?” 

“Sacrifices must be made,” Eugene said, though he was aware he was asking for a hell of a sacrifice. Every time his mother had made it, he’d honestly contemplated feigning sickness and skipping dinner. Separately, the ingredients of apples, peas, carrots, celery, pineapple, bananas, mayonnaise, whipping cream, and maraschino cherries could be delightful-all together was another matter in terms of taste and texture. Sure, it was edible, but so were rations even after you’d dropped them in the mud one or five times. 

“Now you know I love you,” Snafu sighed with a smile. “That’s basically a whole meal in one dish. You really think we need anything else?” 

“I know someone who makes amazing beignets,” Eugene said coyly. 

Snafu gave him a look. “You do. But you really want to let them in on somethin’ so good?” 

“The way I see it, is depending on how the night goes, they might all be for us anyway. May as well have at least one leftover we actually want to eat,” Eugene replied. 

“Oh, Sledgehammer, that’s adorable. But if you think we’re saving any of that ‘delicious’ bullshit, then you are dead wrong,” Snafu said. 

“We can’t waste food!” 

“Once you put it all together, it ceases to be food. Therefore, we can toss whatever is left. Don’t even argue, my logic is flawless,” Snafu said as he dove back into the pantry. 

“Fine, fine,” Eugene replied, but his mind was elsewhere-their first days of settling in had gone fast, too fast. Tomorrow was the dinner with his parents, but no matter how much he prepared, he still didn’t feel ready for it. 

“We haven’t talked clothes yet,” Snafu said as he emerged from the pantry again, this time closing the door to it. 

“…we have to wear them,” Eugene said. “What else could there possibly be to talk about?” 

“Let’s impress ‘em some. I know you hate the blues, and the uniform in all forms, but-” 

Eugene sighed. “I don’t know. A nice pressed shirt and slacks is really all-” 

“That’s what they saw you leave town in. You may still wear those clothes, but you came back in the uniform. But they didn’t get to see that-they don’t see who you are now,” Snafu said, his gaze steady as it caught Eugene’s eyes. “You’re still their son, but you know you’re different now. Everyone is, who made it back. Not just with the nightmares and the flashbacks, but-” 

Snafu paused. “I don’t know how to put it, exactly. Bein’ out there was…” 

“Shit,” Eugene filled in. 

Snafu nodded. “But it gave time to anyone, everyone, to figure things out. Who you are away from family, friends. In situations you never thought you’d be in. Making choices you never thought you’d have to make. Meeting people you end up caring about, loving. And then getting back, just to realize you have to figure out how you want to live.” 

“I don’t wanna put words in your mouth,” Snafu continued. “But-you figured out you loved me. I figured out I loved you. We both figured out we wanted to be together…Jesus, I’m not gonna say this right.” 

Eugene grabbed his hand, and led him out of the kitchen to the sitting room, to one of the ornate couches. “Can I say what I think you’re tryin’ to get at, and you let me know if I’m close?” 

Snafu nodded, still holding his hand and gently rubbing at the back of it with his thumb. 

“I’m still me, but a different me than the one that left. Some of me is the same, but there’s a lot changed. You think if we roll out for dinner in uniform, it might make them see that and face it, and us?” Eugene said. 

Snafu smiled softly, and pulled up Eugene’s hand to press a kiss to it. “You got a way with words, darlin’. That or you’re psychic.” 

“No. Just been thinkin’ about that all myself. We’re just always pretty much on the same page, or damn close. And while I hate the idea of wearing it again, I cannot stress that enough,” Eugene said. 

“I know,” Snafu replied. 

“I think you might be right. Just what we wore on the train back though-no dress blues,” Eugene continued. He hadn’t even unpacked the dress blues-Snafu had his hung up in their wardrobe, but his languished in one of the few boxes left to finish unpacking. 

“Okay,” Snafu said. “I know it isn’t late, but you wanna head in? Get some extra sleep for tomorrow?” 

Eugene nodded. It felt slightly silly-after all it was only seven at night. But it was less the idea of getting extra sleep, and more the idea of having extra time to be cuddled up in bed with Snafu that sounded so good. Having that time in their own little bubble, safe from everything. Sid was the only one who had called, and only to confirm that he’d be on-call for the dinner, and would come as soon as possible if either of them called and asked him to do so. It was glorious-setting up the house together, moving furniture to where they preferred it, just-nesting was the only word he could come up with for it all. 

“C’mon,” Snafu said as he led them upstairs while the cats ran past them to the first floor. They’d fallen in love with the house itself, not to mention the garden. “You kids play nice, and come to bed soon. No scratching up the curtains.” 

“You know even if they could completely understand you, they wouldn’t listen, right?” Eugene asked as they made it to the bedroom. 

“They understand. They just don’t care either way. That’s just cats though, that’s how it works. Those curtains are ugly anyway; we can get something new,” Snafu replied. “Um-not that your mother has terrible taste, but-” 

Eugene laughed. “They are ugly. And I don’t know if we could call it bad taste. Maybe…questionable, when compared to ours.” 

“We won’t talk about it over dinner,” Snafu said as he started to undress. “What the fuck are we gonna talk about? Or can we trust them to do the talking?” 

Eugene shrugged as he unbuttoned his shirt. “I have no idea what they’ll do. I mean, we can tell them about Maryland. About our trip down here-well, some of it.” 

Snafu grinned. “You can handle the censoring of that part of things. What else though? That might not cover a whole dinner, especially tryin’ to choke down the main course.” 

“I mean…they might ask about it. Peleliu, Okinawa-I know they’ll ask about us coming home. I mean, I wrote them letters but I’m sure they’re curious,” Eugene replied. “That could take up a lot of time. Potentially more than dinner even, depending on how they react, how much we tell them.” 

Snafu was down to his underwear as he dropped to the bed. “We can’t really plan for this part of it, can we? Second we think we got it planned, they’ll throw us a curve ball.” 

Eugene contemplated his pajamas, then joined Snafu on the bed in only his underwear. “Yeah. We’ll just have to try and be quick on our feet.” 

Snafu nodded and pulled him close. “No more talking about it. No more thinking about it. Not till the morning. Just relaxin’ and sleepin’ now.” 

Eugene settled into his embrace and tried to follow Snafu’s instructions. It was easier once Snafu had fallen asleep-watching his face relax as he ended up cuddled against Eugene as close as he could get. 

It still took him two hours to fall asleep. 

Morning came all too quickly, and if it hadn’t been for Snafu he didn’t think he’d have resisted the urge to cancel the dinner and hide in bed all day. 

“Got your clothes ready for later. Don’t care if you walk around naked as a jaybird for now, but make sure you’re dressed later,” Snafu was already dressed, in one of Eugene’s shirts and a pair of trousers that hung on his hips. No matter how much he ate, he was still skinny as a rail, and even the most tailored garments seemed to eventually hang off of him. Eugene didn’t mind the excuse to spoil him with new clothes, even if they didn’t have the money for it as often as he’d like. 

“What time are they comin’ over anyway?” Snafu asked as he sat on the edge of the bed. 

“Five, or sometime around that. At least I think so. That’s when dinner time always was before I left. God help me if they show up early-” Eugene replied as he forced himself out of the bed, panicking at the thought. “I should get dressed now, just in case. And I’ll start cooking, and-” 

“Sweetheart. You gonna start dinner at nine in the morning? You think bein’ cold is gonna make that ‘delicious’ bullshit taste any better?” Snafu laughed. “Relax. Even if they do show up early, we’ll figure it out.” 

He got dressed anyway, peeking out the window of the guest bedroom-their bedroom now. They’d discussed taking the master bedroom, but ultimately it felt too strange. And any guests they might have would certainly appreciate having the bigger room. 

Downstairs, he picked at the breakfast plate Snafu sat in front of him. 

“You gonna eat those eggs, or just stab ‘em?” Snafu asked, his mouth full. “At least have some coffee. I swear I made it good today.” 

Eugene shook his head. They weren’t even here yet and he felt sick. 

“Okay, lover-boy of mine. Let’s find something to keep you busy,” Snafu said, setting down his fork. 

“I’m fine,” Eugene said, trying to mean it. 

Snafu didn’t say anything, just grabbed his hand and held it tight. 

After a few moments, Eugene found his voice again. “Might try reading.” 

“Sounds good. You go sit down and read. I’ll be with you in a few minutes,” Snafu murmured.

“You don’t gotta rush to eat because of me,” Eugene said as he stood up, ignoring the light-headedness that hit him almost immediately. 

Snafu was watching him, clearly concerned. “Baby, you’re pale.” 

“Aren’t I always?” Eugene asked, just before the light-headedness turned to proper dizziness, and it all went black. 

He came to maybe a moment later, on the cool floor of the dining room. He registered that Snafu must have moved him into the recovery position, as he took in the feeling of Snafu’s hand rubbing his back and the fact that his face was wet. 

“What happened?” 

“You passed out,” Snafu replied. 

“I know that,” Eugene replied. “Why am I wet?” 

“Well, I was tryin’ to wake you back up. Nearest thing was the water pitcher. It was that or the coffee,” Snafu replied. “Don’t you dare rush to get up. Let yourself lay for a minute or two.” 

“I-” Eugene started, then stopped. Why was he fighting this so much? He was safe, Snafu was right there to help him. And the dizziness and anxiety eating his stomach alive were at a minimum on the floor. 

He sighed, and let himself relax and go limp. 

“Better,” Snafu hummed, his hand still making slow and soft circle’s on Eugene’s back. “Just breathe. I’m right here.” 

He wasn’t sure exactly how long he stayed there on the floor, with Snafu alternating between rubbing his back and holding one his hands gently, whispering soft and sweet things to him. 

Finally, Snafu let him up, only to gently grab hold of him until he was leaning backwards into Snafu’s lap and arms. 

“We have to get up eventually,” Eugene murmured. 

“Eventually. Not now,” Snafu replied, his arms warm and comforting as he held onto him just tightly enough to feel safe but still be comfortable. 

“I’ll fall asleep here if you keep this up,” Eugene said. He meant it too-he’d slept, but fitfully, and figured he could fall asleep anywhere right then. 

“Let’s get you to the sitting room then. Let you nap,” Snafu said. Before Eugene could protest, Snafu had scooped him up and was carrying him to the next room. 

“I just got up,” he muttered into Snafu’s shoulder. 

“You just worry about feelin’ better. If you’re still like this by four, then I’m callin’ Sid and tellin’ him to cancel the dinner.” 

“We can’t,” Eugene replied. 

“We can do whatever we want and need to do,” Snafu said. “That includes cancelling.” 

“But I’m just feeling this way because I’m nervous about dinner. At least I think that’s all it is.” 

He couldn’t resist the urge to curl up on the couch as Snafu set him down carefully. There was just enough room for Snafu to sit on the edge of the couch near him that way. 

After a moment, Snafu was up again though, and returned with a thin but soft blanket from the downstairs linen closet. “You just sleep. I shoulda let you stay upstairs, but-” 

“No, I should be getting up, I should be helping you get ready. I shouldn’t be…like this,” Eugene sighed. 

“You can’t help how this makes you feel. Get some rest; I got this,” Snafu said. 

“You’re even going to make the main-” 

Snafu shuddered. “Don’t remind me of that. But yeah, I’ll make that delicious bullshit whatever. I’ll wake you in a few hours. Don’t worry about anything.” 

He settled on the couch, and tried to listen to Snafu. Sleeping was always better than staring into space, anxiety-ridden. He just had to will himself to do it.


	7. Part Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I like happy endings, and this is one of them. Sledge and Snafu deserve it.

He awoke to the sound of yowling cats. 

“Now, we’re all gonna look nice for dinner, so you come back here!” Snafu’s voice echoed down the halls, along with sound of skittering claws. “All it is-come here-just a damn bow! You’ll look beautiful, Queen!” 

Slowly, Eugene rose from the couch. Little Sid was sitting in front of him, meowing pitifully as he tried to grab and eat the red bow tied around his neck. 

“What did Daddy do to you?” Eugene asked, picking him up and moving the bow to the back of his neck. “Better? Least you can run without it in your face then, right?” 

He set Little Sid down, who immediately flopped on his back and yowled. 

“Fine then. But it isn’t too tight, and you do look very nice. Give it a go, you might get used to it,” he replied. 

Little Sid fussed at his feet as he stood and left to find Snafu. 

The kitchen was empty-a mess, but empty of cats or his husband. A quick search of the fridge revealed most of the food-salad, rolls, dessert, and even the hated main dish ready to go and even plated nicely. 

The halls and the rest of the main floor were empty too, but bits of the hardwood flooring bore scratch marks. He was getting close. 

Finally, upstairs, he found Snafu-or more accurately, Snafu’s ass and legs, since the rest of him was under the bed in the master/now guest bedroom. 

“Queen! You are setting a bad example for Little Sid and Gunner, and I will not have it!” 

Gunner was on top of the bed, glaring down at Snafu’s lower half in between attempted bites at the bow messily tied around his neck. 

“You aren’t gonna let me fix that, are you?” Eugene asked as he gently pet Gunner. 

After a single pet, Gunner dashed away down the hall, apparently entirely fed up with both of his fathers. 

“Sledgehammer? How are you feelin’?” Snafu’s voice was muffled from under the bed. 

“Better. Still nervous, but not passin’ out anymore. How are you?” 

“Uh, I-fuckin’ ow-am tryin’ to deal with our fussy children, who apparently don’t want to look nice for their grandparents,” Snafu huffed as he crawled backwards out from under the bed, a gentle thunk letting Eugene know he’d hit his head at least once on the way out. 

“When did you get this idea, exactly?” 

“Finished the food, figured I shouldn’t waste the time I had left over. I may be startin’ to regret it, slightly,” Snafu sighed as he stood up. “How much time till they get here?” 

Eugene looked to his watch. “It is…uh. Four forty-five.” 

They both darted out and down the stairs, Queen and her lack of a bow utterly forgotten. 

“I should go brush my teeth again,” Eugene fussed as he worked to smooth Snafu’s wrinkled shirt. 

“If you want, but I think you’re fine. My hair though…” Snafu was plucking at his collar, where it had shifted as he’d slept on the couch. 

“Your hair is fine. Even if it was messy, you look cute with it that way,” Eugene replied. “Oh god. Are we ready? I’m not ready.” 

“We’re ready. We got this,” Snafu wrapped him in a hug. “What’s the worst that can happen?” 

“My parents disown me formally, tell everyone they know here about us so that we have to leave for our safety, and we have to run to find a new house and new jobs,” Eugene replied as he pressed a quick kiss to Snafu’s neck. 

Snafu let him go, and frowned. “Darlin’. I didn’t mean you were supposed to answer that.” 

“Sorry, nervous,” Eugene muttered. He was waiting for the sound of their car, the knock at the door, and it made him want to run and hide under the bed with Queen. 

“Just breathe. Better to go into it thinkin’ everything will go well. If it doesn’t…we’ll figure it out as we go,” Snafu replied. 

The sound of tires on the gravel made him leap out of his skin. 

“You go set the food out. Don’t think any of it needs warming, but you make that call. I’ll go to the door,” Snafu said. 

“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Eugene sighed heavily, willing himself not to run upstairs. 

“Long as you aren’t all over the food! Do what you have to, sweetheart,” Snafu called as he ran for the door. 

Setting out the food and the tableware was somewhat calming for the moment, until he heard their knock at the door. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Sledge! Come in-Eugene is just gettin’ the table ready. Hope you’re hungry! Let me take your coats, and can I get you both a drink?” Snafu seemed to have lost his confidence too. He only rambled like that when he was nervous. It was adorable, but Eugene felt for him at the same time. 

He walked out to the entry hall, even though every fiber of his being was screaming not to. He couldn’t leave Snafu to dangle like that though. 

“Mom, Dad,” he started awkwardly as he met up with them. 

Snafu’s eyes were wide, flitting from Eugene to Eugene’s parents as they both waited for a response. 

Finally, his father cleared his throat. “Bourbon, if you have it. And Eugene, you-” 

There was a beat, and then he could see tears in his father’s eyes just before he rushed forwards to hug him. 

“You have no idea how worried we were. Hearin’ every day about someone’s son coming home in a coffin. You being back, being here-” his father was holding back the tears now as he moved back a step, looking Eugene up and down as if he didn’t think he was entirely real. “I can’t tell you how happy it makes us.” 

For a moment, Eugene didn’t know where to go with it, what to say. “I-what about…I mean, I know Sid talked to you both, has probably talked to you a lot from the sounds of it-” 

“We’ve had some work to do,” his mother said, stepped forward to take his father’s place and wrap him up in a tight hug. “I admit, this is still…different, than what I ever expected for you. But you’re here, and alive, and if you’re as happy together as Sid says…” 

She stepped back, and shrugged awkwardly. “I suppose you can get used to anything new and different. Especially if it means you’re happy.” 

Snafu was frozen off to the side, and he jumped as Eugene’s mother turned to him. 

“Well? Come here, give me a hug. You’re family, so there’s no getting out of it,” she said, her arms open wide. 

Snafu stepped forward slowly, but grinned once she hugged him. “Ma’am, I can’t begin to tell you how nervous we were-” 

“Well, no need to be nervous anymore. We still need..a bit of time, but you should both know that we love you and want you happy and well. Speaking of, Eugene, do you not feed your husband?” 

Eugene let himself laugh, the tension in his shoulders and neck not quite gone. “I do. That’s just how he is.” 

“I’ll get you some recipes; we’ll fix it,” she said brightly. “Speaking of, what did you make for us?” 

“Something exotic, from your time away?” his father asked, and Eugene bit back another laugh. The idea of tossing an old, mud-covered ration onto their plates was something else, but he had a feeling that they’d try and eat them anyway, pretending all the while they liked them. 

“You both always loved ‘delicious combination’, right?” he asked right back. 

His father’s face paled slightly. “Oh, of course. A good war-time meal. Sensible, as we recover from rationing. I’m sure it is just as wonderful as your mother made it.” 

His mother wore a pained smile. “I didn’t think you liked that dish, Eugene.” 

Snafu cracked up, moving away from her as he laughed. “I can’t. I can’t take this anymore. All of y’all stop. I wasn’t gonna let him kill you with that shit.” 

“Then what the hell are we eating, Snaf darlin’?” Eugene asked, panicking. He hadn’t looked beyond the one shelf in the fridge in his nervousness, but he also couldn’t recall seeing any other dishes anywhere. 

“You missed it, didn’t you? Should be finishing up in the oven just about now, if I timed it right. Pardon me while I go check on it, and get you that drink, Mr. Sledge,” Snafu was all light and happiness, damn near bouncing as he pressed a soft kiss to Eugene’s cheek before moving past him to the kitchen. 

His parents were laughing. Smiling, laughing, happy as could be. It was the best shock he could have. 

“You better count your blessings,” his mother said. “He seems like a good one.” 

“I do, and he is,” Eugene replied, gesturing for them to follow him to the dining room to sit. “I don’t know what I’d do without him.” 

“Same, darlin’,” Snafu said, walking into the room from the kitchen just in time to hear him, the plate of meatloaf in his hands. “My mother always told me to find one who’s mother had raised them right. You did a hell of a job, Mrs. Sledge.” 

She blushed as Snafu set the plate down, whisked the ‘delicious combination’ away, and darted back into the kitchen. He was back a moment later with drinks for all of them, balanced carefully in his hands. 

“With a mouth like that, I can see why you like him, Eugene,” his mother started. 

He blushed immediately. He couldn’t help it. Snafu was red too, poorly hiding a grin behind his hand. 

“So complimentary. But that’s all a part of it-you talk sweet and hold each other up no matter what. I’m happy for you both,” she continued. “But, I have to admit, I’m still surprised neither of you came home before heading out together. Where would that have put you…” 

“Sid hasn’t told you my real name, has he?” Snafu smiled. “You can call me Merriell, if you’d rather ma’am.” 

“Merriell,” she said warmly. “So, where was home for you?” 

“New Orleans. Not much ‘home’ there though, if I’m honest. That’s Eugene now-home,” Snafu replied. “My parents haven’t even sent a letter back-and I know Eugene here sent one out to them for me, though I think he wanted that to be a secret from me.” 

Eugene gave him a look. “How the hell did you know? I only did it because I figured it couldn’t hurt for them to know where to send a letter, if they missed you.” 

“I don’t mind that you did it. It’s sweet. But honey-you really didn’t think I’d find it strange, you askin’ for their address and then sayin’ you were just curious?” Snafu grinned, and reached over to grab his hand and give it a squeeze. 

He grinned and squeezed back. “Okay, you got me. Still wish they would have sent somethin’ back though.” 

His parents looked down to their plates at that, and he wondered if they were thinking of the rather cold letters they’d sent him when he and Snafu had first been settling in Maryland. 

Snafu was back on his usual rhythm. “But let’s get to the food before we keep talkin’.” 

He held their hands for grace with no prompting, much to Eugene’s relief. They never said grace when it was just them-they’d gone over briefly that they simply didn’t feel the need for it themselves, but that they’d do it with others if they asked. 

For a bit, it was quiet except for the sound of forks scraping. It was calming-an utterly normal scene that he’d been so afraid he wouldn’t get: his parents and his husband meeting, sharing a meal, and everyone getting along. All was well, the sky was not falling, and it made his heart feel like it would burst. 

“How was it? Maryland?” his father asked. 

“Cold as hell in the winter,” Snafu sighed. “Gettin’ down here was a blessing. Winter without all the snow and ice is the only winter I wanna deal with!” 

“Eugene’s letters always made it sound so nice,” his mother interjected. “But your apartment-it wasn’t really that small, was it?” 

“It worked out fine enough. Was more irritatin’ paying so much for so little,” Snafu replied. “But honestly, we’ve been lucky. Lots of other Marines, they came home and if they couldn’t move back in with parents or friends…well. There’s just not enough room to go around, it seems. That’s why this was such a boon for us too.” 

“We couldn’t have found a house back in Maryland,” Eugene said. “Nothing like this, but nothing smaller either. We never could have afforded it, not if we wanted to save anything.” 

“Well, I’m glad you both took us up on this, then. Better to have the room available, for guests and whatnot. Eugene mentioned a few other housemates-where are the cats?” his father asked, peering down to his feet as he took a bite out a roll. 

It was Snafu’s turn to blush again. “I-well, let me start by sayin’ I wanted them to look nice for you. We got a bit dressed up, figured they should too. Just a little bow, not too tight. I think they might be hiding, or I’d show you. Got ‘em on two out of the three, anyway.” 

“Oh, you didn’t,” his mother laughed. “Now how long did that take?” 

“Probably longer than it should have. I’m not a quitter; I wanted them to look nice for tonight,” Snafu smiled. “If you really want to see them, I bet I can find them.” 

“You do that, and I’ll get dessert. Wait’ll you have what Sna-Merriell’s made for you. You’ll never want any other dessert, I promise,” Eugene said as Snafu left the table, calling for the cats. 

He cleared away the dishes, and by the time he was back out with the beignets and a new set of plates and silverware for everyone, Snafu had returned with Little Sid in his arms. 

“Say hello to Little Sid. Sid, say hi to your grandparents,” Snafu instructed. Somehow, the bow was still on Little Sid, though it seemed to bear a few runs from his fangs. 

His mother and father doted over the cat as though he was a proper grand baby, standing from the table to go pet him and compliment his bow. Little Sid was purring loud enough he could hear it from across the room, and it brought out the other two after a few moments. 

“Who is this?” his father said, reaching down to pick up Gunner as he entered the dining room, his bow askew. “Not a fan of your bow, are you?” 

Gunner meowed pitifully, but turned it into a purr as his father gently took off the bow. “There we are. You’re just as adorable without it, not that I don’t appreciate your effort, Merriell.” 

“It was an ill-fated idea,” Snafu replied with a chuckle. “But I think doin’ that just made you Gunner’s new best friend.” 

Queen was the last to trot in, her bow in her mouth, picked up from wherever Snafu must have abandoned it. 

His mother _squealed_ at sight of her. “Oh my word! Look at you! This must be Queen! And what a fitting name.” 

She kneeled down to pet Queen. “I’m happy to be turning over my house to royalty.” 

“And us,” Eugene said.

“Listen to that-they talk as if you don’t run the house. That’s okay, we both know the truth,” his mother said to Queen, who was purring just as loud as the other two now. 

“Alright, the kids oughta get to bed now,” Eugene interjected. He was glad they liked the cats, but there would be more opportunities for them to come by and spoil them relentlessly. And what a happy thing to think of, too. “Dessert’s on as well.” 

“You heard your father. Off to bed with the three of you,” Snafu said gently, letting Little Sid down. 

Queen led the way, Gunner followed, and Little Sid trotted after them both, and his mother squealed again. 

“They’re just the sweetest,” she sighed as they sat back down. “Be careful though-some of the cats from the next few roads over always have a habit of makin’ it over here. You might end up with kittens that way.” 

Snafu’s expression could only be described as pure joy. 

“We would not be able to keep all the kittens,” Eugene said. 

“Of course not-we’d give one to Sid, one to your folks here, and one to your brother. Then we’d keep the rest,” Snafu replied. 

Eugene could only shake his head as he dished everyone up, and watched for his parent’s reactions. 

“You made these?” his father asked. 

“Yessir. I do quite often too. Your son has a hell of a sweet tooth,” Snafu replied. “If you’d like, I could make sure to parcel some up from the next batch and we could bring them on over to you.” 

“That would be very kind of you, dear. When you’re over for dinner at ours, why don’t you bring them then?” his mother asked. 

That caught Eugene’s ear. “Dinner?” 

“Well, we’ve got to return this favor and have you over. We’ll have to take turns, every couple of Sundays or something like that. We’ll invite Sid and his fiancee over too, for the next one.” 

He reached for Snafu’s hand under the table, out of sight of his parents, and squeezed it tightly. “That sounds wonderful, Mom. We’d be honored.” 

The conversation went on for another hour after that-thankfully, they didn’t bring up the war too much. Eugene didn’t think it would have ruined the night, but it would have been a dark topic for such a happy night. And now, there would be other nights to let the conversation go late, to serious topics and feelings. 

Once his parents had been escorted to their car by the two of them, and they were back in the house flopped on the couch in the sitting room, himself laying in Snafu’s lap, he finally completely relaxed. 

“That was…it went so well! I never expected-oh my God,” he was stuttering as Snafu played with his hair, smiling gently. “I feel like a huge weight is off my chest.” 

“Same. I was worried, but my god, you have the nicest parents I’ve ever met,” Snafu said. 

“How many parents have you met?” Eugene teased. 

“None except yours, if I’m honest, but I do know what nasty parents are like. You got good ones,” Snafu replied. 

“I’ve got so much good in my life, don’t I?” Eugene sighed. “Between you, them, the cats, Sid, Burgin-how the hell did I get so lucky?” 

“You’re good yourself. You just attract it to you,” Snafu’s eyes were gazing down at his, radiating love. It was wonderful and so intense he almost couldn’t take it. 

“That’s how we found each other-two good people, pulled together by that force,” Eugene said quietly. 

Snafu nodded. “Not gonna be good tonight though.” 

“My parents literally just left-” 

“I know, which is good, because I can’t wait any longer to get you out of that uniform,” Snafu replied. “We haven’t properly broken in the bed yet, and that’s bad luck Sledgehammer.” 

“You are somethin’ else,” Eugene laughed, standing from the couch. 

“And you love it,” Snafu grinned.

He did. But right at that moment, reflecting on it all, it was not just Snafu, but everything about how things were now-they were happy, in a beautiful home, with family and friends that cared about them. 

It was a very pure sort of happiness, and he loved that he was able to feel it so strongly, with someone he loved so much.


End file.
